Recording device for speed-indicators.



C. F. ISZARD.

RECORDING DEVICE FOR SPEED INDICATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.19,1906.

PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

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PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

G. F. ISZARD. RECORDING DEVICE FOR SPEED INDICATORS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.19.1906.

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No. 860,667. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907, 0. F. ISZARD.

RECORDING DEVICE FOR SPEED INDICATORS.

APPLICATION FILED APE.19,1906.

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UNITED STATES PriTENT OFFICE.

*OHARLES F. ISZARD, OF GERMANTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE SPEEDOGRAPH RECORDING DEVICE FOR SPEED-INDICATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23,1907.

Application filed April 19,1906. Serial No. 312,574.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs F. Iszann, a citizen of the United States, residing at Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Recording Devices for Speed-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to a recording device for speed indicators, and in such connection it relates more particularly to a receptacle for a fluid and to means controlled by the travel of a vehicle for actuating the same.

The principal objects of my invention are first, to provide a marking or recording device for speed indi- .cators, which in conjunction with a uniformly rotated record is adapted to indicate the speed of the vehicle, the distance covered by the vehicle and the time expended in the travel thereof to a given point; second, to provide the recording device with means adapted when the same is actuated to permit of the discharge of fluid so as to mark a record arranged beneath the device; third, to so arrange the actuating means for the recording device as to permit of a manual actuation of the same and setting of the actuating means, without actuation of the device; fourth, to so arrange the actu ating means, as to prevent recording of retrograde movement of an actuating shaft; and fifth, to provide means for adjustably connecting the actuating shaft with the vehicle in which the speed is to be recorded by the device.

The nature and scope of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1, is a view, illustrating in side elevation a portion of the housing of the recording device for speed indicators, a receptacle for fluid yieldingly supported above a drum, actuating means for depressing the receptacle and bringing the same into engagement with the drum, and the manner of movably supporting one of the shafts of the actuating means so as to permit of disengagement of the same and hence manual actuation and setting of certain of the means for the depression of the receptacle all embodying main features of my said invention. Fig: 2, is a horizontal sectional view of the upper portion of the housing, illustrating in top or plan the fluid receptacle arranged above the drum carrying a graduated strip of paper forming a record, the actuating means for the receptacle and the means for preventing retrogrademovement of the actuating means. Fig. 3'. is a sectional view, on the line x.v of Fig. 1, illustrating in side elevation a ratchet-wheel and pawl forming the coupling between a flexible shaft and a wormshaft and forming the means for preventing retrograde movement of the worm-shaft. Fig: 4, is a similar view on the line y y of Fig: 1, illustrating the movable connection of the wormhaft with a supporting plate. Fig: 5, is a detail view, enlarged, illustrating partly in side elevation and partly in section the fluid receptacle, the manner of yieldingly supporting the same, the cam for depressing the receptacle and bringing into contact with the record carried by the drum and the valve controlling the outlet of the fluid receptacle for permitting an outflow of liquid, when actuated, by the depression of the receptacle. Fig: 6, is a view, illustrating partly in elevation and partly in section, a portion of a vehicle, showing the recording speed indicating device attached to the dash-board thereof, a flexible shaft and a star-wheel actuated by a projection secured to the hub of one of the wheels thereof, for actuating the device. Figs: 7 and 8 are detail views, enlarged, illustrating, respectively, in front and side elevations a bracket for the star-wheel and the clamp for securing the same to the steering lever of the wheel; and Fig: 9, is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the clamp and bolts for holding the same in proper position with respect to the bracket and for preventing turning of the clamp thereon.

Referring to the drawings (1, represents a housing, consisting of sections a and a movably connected with each other by means, not shown, which, when the recording device is used in conjunction with a vehicle, may be secured to the dashboard a, thereof, and located thereon preferably in a position opposite to the seat of the driver, as shown in Fig: 6.

The recording device proper, consists of a supporting plate I), which preferably is secured to the section a, of the housing a. In the plate I), is arranged a shaft 0, supported by a bracket 0, rigidly secured to the plate I), and at its free end the shaft 0, is provided with a cam 0 held above the projection d of a recording device d.

The recording device, consists of a receptacle (Z for a fluid or ink, which is closed at its upper end by a removable cap or lid d having an air-vent d", and a seat (Z for spring d, which tends to hold a needle-valve d extending beyond the outlet (l of the receptacle d on its seat in the receptacle thus preventing exit of fluid or ink therefrom. The receptacle d is supported by a flexible strip of metal a, which, by means of setscrews 0 passing through slots 0 is secured to arms 0 carried by a frame 0, thus permitting of the ready removal and replacing of the receptacle d for filling or other purposes. The frame a, secured to the plate 1;, serves to support a drum f, upon which is removably arranged a record preferably, consisting of a strip of paper f which, by means of obliquely arranged lines f heavy vertical lines f and light lines f parallel thereto, divide the strip into twice, twelve hours, representing a day of twenty four hours, and the hours into quarter hours, as shown in Fig: 2.

The drum f, and record f, is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, by a clockwork mechan ism g, arranged therein with a speed imparting to the drum f, a complete revolution, within six hours and 4v complete revolutions within 24 hours, during which rotary movement the drum f, is also shifted laterally towards the plate I), by a worm-shaft 9 passing through a threaded bearing 0 arranged in the frame 0'.

The drum f, record f and the means for rotating and shifting the drum forms the subject-matter of an application filed by me, under date of April 12th, 1906, Serial No. 311,235.

The needle-valve d of the fluid receptacle (Z is held in normal position over the drum f, directly above the lines f which, however, form a continuous spiral line on the record 1. The drum f, which is rotated with the speed of the hour pointer of a clock by the clock work mechanism shown and described in my application dated April 12th, 1906, Serial No. 311,235 will, in conjunction with the needle-valve d at all times indicate the exact hour and fraction thereof of the day, provided the drum f, has been set in a position to bring the exact hour of the day opposite the corresponding hours indicated by numerals and lines P, f 3 and f on the strip f, directly beneath the needle-valve (F, at the starting of the revolution of the drum f, by the clockwork g.

When the receptacle LP, is depressed and brought into engagement with the record f, by the cam 0 of the shaft 0, the needle-valve (1 against the tension of the spring d, is forced backwards into the receptacle d thus permitting a small amount of liquid to pass between the tapering end (2, of the needle-valve d and the tapering outlet (Z of the receptacle d A dot is thus formed on the record j, which in the present instance indicates a mile traveled by the vehicle A.

The preferred mechanism for imparting to the shaft 0, and thecam c actuating the receptacle al a complete revolution after each mile of travel of the vehicle A, is as foll0ws:As shown in Figs: 1 and 2, to the shaft 0, is rigidly secured a gear-wheel c, meshing with the worm b of the shaft h, which at one end is pivotally supported by a bracket h", secured to the plate I), while at the other end the same is supported by a bracket h slidably secured thereto by a threaded bolt h", passing through a slot b arranged in the plate I). As shown in Fig: 4, the bracket b by means of a spring h, is held in the upper end of the slot I), which is sufficiently long when the shaft h, is depressed against the tension of the spring h, to permit of the disengagement of the worm 7L thereof, with the gear-wheel c, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described. The end of the shaft h, terminates in a sleeve 1', to which the same is loosely secured by a bolt t engaging a groove h arranged in the shaft h, while a flexible shaft 7:, by means of a bolt 7;, is rigidly secured to the sleeve 1', as shown in dotted lines in Fig: 1. This sleeve 1', at one end terminates in a ratchet-wheel t which abuts against a disk 7L secured to the shaft h.

As shown in Fig: 3, to the disk h, is pivotally secured a pawl it held in engagement with the ratchetwheel F, by a spring h, and this connection between the flexible shaft It, and worm-shaft /L, by the sleeve 1'', ratchet-wheel i disk b and pawl it forms a coupling which permits of the transmitting of rotary movement of the flexible shaft is, to the shaft 71, when the vehicle A, to which the recording device d, is secured moves forward, but prevents such a rotary movement being transmitted to the shaft h, when the vehicle A, is moved backwards. An actuation of the fluid receptacle (Z and the formation of a dot on the record f is thus prevented, during backward travel of the vehicle A. I

The preferred means for rotating the flexible shaft is, is as follows:As shown in Fig: 6, to the steering arm Z, of the wheel Z of the vehicle A, by means of a clamp n, is rcmovably secured a bracket in, consisting of a square base piece m to which is pivotally secured an arm m which may assume varying angular positions with respect to the base in, and be held in such positions by a bolt m and nut m, which bolt in, forms the pivot on which the arms m swing. Upon the arm m is slidably secured a sleeve or, carrying a sleeve m, in which is rotatably arranged the end of the flexible shaft is, supporting a star-wheel o. By this arrangement the star-wheel 0, may be raised and lowered with respect to the base on, by sliding the sleeve m 011 the arm m and then clamping the same in the position given by a bolt of. At the same time the star-wheel 0, may be shifted laterally with respect to the arm m and base m by loosening the belt 271*, of the sleeve m, and then tightening the same. This adjustment of the star-wheel 0, is necessary to render the same applicable to steering levers Z, of varying types and for holding the star-wheel 0, in proper position with respect to a projection Z secured to the hub Z of the wheel Z At each revolution of the wheel 1 the star-wheel will be rotated for the distance of one teeth, which rotation by means of the flexible shaft 1;, and the worm-shaft h, is transmitted to the gearwheel 0, and by the same to the shaft 0. The starwheel 0, the worm h, of the shaft h, and the gear-wheel c, are so proportioned, that the gear-wheel c, will make a complete revolution at the completion of each mile traveled by the vehicle A. This completion of a mile is recorded on the record f by the depression of the receptacle (Z through the cam 0 secured to the shaft 0, by forming a dot thereon, in the manner hereinbefore fully explained. The number of dots indicate the number of miles traveled by the vehicle and the time which the travel of the vehicle took place as indicated by the hour lines f, and quarter hour lines 1" and the numeral placed adjacent to the hour lines f In order to indicate by the receptacle (P, on the rec- 0rd f the exact time at which the vehicle A, was taken into use, the housing a, is opened and the shaft h, is depressed against the tension of the spring 7r, until the worm h, thereof, is brought out of engagement with gear-wheel c. This gear-wheel is now rotated until the line 0 on wheel 0 (indicated by dotted lines in Fig: 1), is brought opposite the index-arm c, secured to the plate Z). In this position of the gear-wheel a", the cam 0 of the shaft 0, has depressed the receptacle 12 which forms a mark or dot on the record f carried by the drum f, and at the same time, the wheel 0, is brought in such a position as to require a complete revolution of the same, before the receptacle is again actuated by the cam 0 After the shaft it, has been released the worm h, thereof, is brought into reengagement with the gear-wheel c, and is held in this posi tion, by the spring k The wheel 0", is now rotated by the worm 71 shaft h, flexible shaft 7:, and star-wheel 0, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig: 1. If, however, the vehicle A, travels backward, this movement is prevented by the sleeve 2, which in this instance with its ratchet-Wheel 4?, travels loosely under the pawl h of the disk h, secured to the shaft h.

I11 order to hold the star-wheel o, in each position given, the hub thereof is provided with flattened portions 0 engaged by a leaf-spring 0 secured to the sleeve m. The clamp n, is removably secured to the base m of the bracket wt, preferably by a bolt m, and nut m For this purpose, the base is provided with an opening m, for the bolt m, and opening-s m, for bolts 11 secured to the clamp n, as shown in Fig: 9. One of the bolts n is longer which when brought into engagement with one of the openings m, in the base m, serves as a pivot for the clamp 11, and thus facilitates the insertion of the shorter bolt into its opening m The openings m, and m, serve to determine the position of the base m of the bracket m, with respect to the clamp 77,. The clamp n, consists preferably of soft metal, so as to be easily bent and surround various shaped steering levers Z.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, a shaft having a cam. a gear wheel mounted on said shaft, a pivotally supported worm shaft adapted to mesh with said gear wheel, a spring' for normally holding the worm shaft in engagement with said gear wheel, means for rotating the worm shaft and by the same said gear wheel, said worm shaft arranged when depressed against the tension of said spring to be brought out of engagement with said gear wheel to permit of manual rotation of the same and thereby manual rotation of said shaft and cam, a marking device, means for yieldingly supporting said device, a drum for supporting a strip forming" a speed, distance and time record located beneath said device and said device when depressed by the cam of said shaft adapted to mark the strip, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my signature, in the presence of. two subscribing; witnesses.

CHARLES F. ISZARD.

Witnesses J. WALTER Douoniss, WILHELM Voe'i. 

